To begin, saute the diced bacon in your Dutch oven. When it is nice and crispy, use a slotted spoon to scoop it out onto a plate lined with paper towels. Set it aside for now.
While the bacon cooks, dice your onion and celery. Peel your potatoes and cut them into about 3/4 inch cubes.
When the bacon is done, add the onion & celery to the drippings. Cook them over medium heat until they are just tender, about 2 minutes
Add in the potatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, milk, corn, and 1 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Stir it all together and bring it to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and let it gently cook until the potatoes are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Give it an occasional stir.
In a small dish, whisk the corn starch & remaining chicken broth together until smooth. Turn the heat up to high and bring the soup back to a boil. Add in the corn starch mixture. Let it cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often.